Red Wings News

Doctors' orders for Quincey: Cage or visor?

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Kyle Quincey couldn’t wait to get rid of the full face cage that he’s sported since a puck shattered multiple bones, including the orbital bone, on the right side of his face in mid-March.

On Monday, team doctors gave the Red Wings’ defenseman two options: Continue wearing the cumbersome cage or switch to a more manageable half visor.

Quincey choice to don the visor, which he had on for the first time when the Red Wings practiced at Honda Center as they prepared for Tuesday’s Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinals against the Anaheim Ducks.

“The biggest difference is that I could see better,” he said.

Quincey missed nine games after he was injured during the third period in Edmonton on March 15. He didn’t require surgery, but when he returned to the lineup he had to wear the full face cage, similar to those worn by most college players in the United States.

While Quincey didn’t have an ultimatum, he said that he would prefer to play without a cage or any type of shield.

“I’d probably go no visor,” he said. “It just goes back before the incident in my mind. I feel like I play better without a visor on and I can see the ice better. There are no restrictions visually, so that’s how I would base my decision.”

Still, getting rid of the cage was very liberating to Quincey, even though he was struck above the shoulders by a puck in Saturday’s season-finale win over the Stars.

“It definitely felt different without the cage on,” he said. “I got a puck in the face again the other night in Dallas. It hit me in the cage, so you’re grateful when that happens. Hopefully the pucks to the face will stop.

“It does happen, but hopefully it’ll never be as hard as the one that broke it. The pucks that pop up aren’t as bad as the wrist shot straight to the grill.”